The ‘Mozart of Chennai’ AR Rahman is working on a concert titled ‘RahmanIshq’, a month-long expedition that will kickstart in Kolkata later this year. From there, he’ll head to Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Ahmedabad in October.

Thursday, 5 January 2012

The music for Hollywood movie Welcome to People was completed about four months ago, Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman said on Wednesday.

Directed by Alex Kurtzman, the film is co-produced by Steven Spielberg.

The 45-year-old singer-composer, who won two Oscars for Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song at the 81st Academy Awards for Slumdog Millionaire, has his hands full this year.

Talking to reporters in Chennai, Rahman said he will be composing music for four Indian films this year — Tamil movies Yohan and Rajinikanth-starrer Kochadaiyaan, Bollywood movie Ek Deewana Tha and one with filmmaker Bharat Bala.

Connoisseurs of music are in for a treat as music maestro AR Rahman is being featured with world famous Babelsberg Orchestra of Germany in live concerts across the country.

The Indian tour of Rahman and Babelsberg, titled "Classic Incantations" , will kick off from Mumbai on January 20. This will be followed by performances in New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai.

The event assumes significance as the German musicians will play to the tunes composed by Rahman for various Indian films.

The details of the programme were announced in Chennai on Wednesday by Rahman himself.

The 100-piece orchestra from Germany will also feature young musicians of KM Music Conservatory, a music school launched by Rahman himself.

“We will create a new high point for music lovers across India through these concerts. I hope to inspire youngsters to take up music composing in a big way through these concerts,” Rahman told reporters.

The Babelsberg group will play Rahman’s music from Roja to Robot, making it the first ever western classical orchestra performing the maestro’s music in India.

The concert is in connection with 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and Germany.

“This is also the centenary year of the Babelsberg Studio in Germany, rated as the largest film studio in the world,” said Rahman.

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Dhanush's 'Kolaveri Di' might have been criticized by lyricist Javed Akhtar, but music maestro AR Rahman has praised the song.

Aamir Khan

He even added that Dhanush is the Aamir of south and hit song ‘Kolaveri Di’ is a lighter song like Aamir’s ‘Aati Kya Khandala.’

“This song is a clutter breaker, and comes once in a while. Like "Macarena", and "Jai Ho" happened. And this sort of song comes once in a while. People don't want to comprehend, go deeper, but just enjoy the song. It is something that doesn't challenge the intellect - and for me, it would be a lighter song like "Aati Kya Khandala". Aamir took that song to a different level, and Dhanush is the Aamir of South,” Rahman said.

People have started recognizing me as actor and singer -- DhanushDhanush had never thought that he could achieve this kind of success.

And speaking about the success of the song, Dhanush said that it’s just a phase that will pass.

However, the actor added, "With Kolaveri Di becoming a huge hit, people who didn't know of me as an actor, have started recognising me as both, an actor and a singer.”

Dhanush to work in a Bollywood projectFollowing 'Kolaveri Di', Dhanush is getting offers to work in Bollywood films.

“There are exactly four offers to act in films, one song to lend my voice to and one album to cut. I've said no to the song and the album. About films, I really don't know how to pursue them. I don't know Hindi. The culture, too, is very different. I'm not worried about the acting bit, as any Indian anywhere in the country can do another Indian's job. I also want to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses before I jump into something as big as Bollywood,” said the actor.